acute bacterial conjunctivitis

Plano, TX – December 11, 2024 – Okogen Inc., a company specializing in innovative eyecare solutions, today announced the successful completion of $3.3 million in financing. The funding will advance the company through the completion of the Phase 2b clinical program for acute infectious conjunctivitis (“AIC”) and the development of an AI-driven image based evaluation platform designed for telehealth and at home application. These initiatives reinforce Okogen’s mission to address the unmet needs of the AIC market while exploring complementary pipeline opportunities. A clinical data readout from the Phase 2b program is anticipated in Q4 2025. “We are excited to announce the completion of our latest financing and the launch of our AI-enabled platform,” said Joshua Moriarty, CEO of Okogen. “This milestone reinforces our commitment to delivering comprehensive therapeutic solutions for patients suffering from AIC. Our focus remains on developing innovative, first-in-class products that improve outcomes for patients and efficiency for providers alike.” The Series B funding supports pivotal transition for Okogen from a single-asset company focused solely on OKG-301, a viral conjunctivitis treatment, to a broader platform approach. This platform combines a novel AI and image based patient evaluation tool with the development of OKG-0303, a triple-combination eyedrop targeting bacterial and viral conjunctivitis. By integrating evaluation and treatment, Okogen aims to address significant gaps in managing this highly contagious condition. “The global market for treating acute infectious conjunctivitis is vast, with millions of cases diagnosed annually across all age groups,” said Bradford Conlan, Chairman of the Board. “This condition poses substantial healthcare costs and productivity losses. Our AI-enabled platform offers a comprehensive solution to aid in patient evaluation while delivering time and cost savings for patients, payers, and healthcare providers.” Headquarters Relocation to Plano, Texas In line with its growth strategy, Okogen has relocated its headquarters from San Diego, California, to Plano, Texas. The move positions the company closer to critical resources and infrastructure, further accelerating the development and commercialization of its groundbreaking therapies. About Acute Infectious Conjunctivitis Pink eye (acute infectious conjunctivitis) is when the conjunctiva is irritated by a viral or bacterial infection. The current conjunctivitis market is USD $4.2 billion annually and is estimated to grow beyond USD $6.0 billion by 2031. Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are easily spread from person to person if left untreated or properly diagnosed. There are currently no approved treatments for adenoviral conjunctivitis, comprising +90% of all viral ocular infections. About Okogen Okogen, Inc. is a cutting-edge eyecare product development company focused on delivering patient-centric solutions, with a current focus on acute infectious conjunctivitis. The company’s lead product, OKG-0303, is a triple-active combination eyedrop designed to treat both forms of acute infectious conjunctivitis, bacterial and viral, safely and effectively. In addition to advancing its Phase 2b clinical program, Okogen is developing an AI-powered evaluation tool aimed at improving patient care. The company is committed to innovation and expects a Phase 2b data readout by Q4 2025.

WEDNESDAY, July 10, 2024 -- More than two-thirds of children with conjunctivitis have a prescription filled for topical antibiotics within one day of an ambulatory care visit, according to a research letter published online June 27 in JAMA Ophthalmology . Daniel J. Shapiro, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues examined prescription of topical antibiotic treatment and the association of treatment with subsequent health care use among individuals aged 1 to 17 years with ambulatory care encounters who had a conjunctivitis diagnosis. A total of 44,793 ambulatory care encounters were included. The researchers found that after 69 percent of encounters, topical antibiotics were dispensed within one day. Topical antibiotics were dispensed less frequently after visits to eye clinics, for children aged 6 to 11 years, and for viral conjunctivitis (34, 66, and 28 percent, respectively). After 3.2 percent of index encounters, ambulatory care revisits for conjunctivitis occurred within 14 days. After 1.4 percent of index encounters, all-cause revisits with a same-day antibiotic dispensation occurred. No association was seen for topical antibiotic treatment with ambulatory care revisits for conjunctivitis or revisits with same-day topical antibiotic dispensation in a multivariable analysis. Hospitalizations for conjunctivitis and emergency department revisits occurred for 0.03 and 0.12 percent of children, respectively, with no differences seen across exposure groups. "Revisits and new antibiotic dispensations were rare, regardless of initial topical antibiotic treatment, suggesting that not receiving antibiotics may not be associated with additional health care use," the authors write. "Given that antibiotics may not be associated with improved outcomes or change in subsequent health care use and are associated with adverse effects and antibiotic resistance, efforts to reduce overtreatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis are warranted."